Nonprofits receive and store vast amounts of data as a result of the work that they do. While it may feel inconvenient to track the hours volunteers spend with you, tracking volunteer time and effort is more important than simply generating reports for the IRS. Tracking volunteers’ time and effort enables you to realize the rewards that each individual provides. Here are four reasons your nonprofit needs to start tracking volunteer hours now: 

  • Tracking the hours that volunteers spend working for your organization is important to accurately calculate the return on investment (ROI) of your volunteer efforts. Volunteer time tracking is a key indicator of your organization’s health. If the data is precise, it will help ensure that the picture that comes from the volunteer database is one that reflects the whole organization. It can also help guide how much money donations will be spent, as tracking this data helps organizations determine the actual costs of their programs. Having reliable data helps staff manage staff for major events. It also allows organizations to determine which volunteers to bring to fund-raising and public relations events. It is also very helpful for boards of directors to have a complete view of all the data that volunteers provide, since they have the necessary data to help them make decisions that will positively impact the organization. 
  • Tracking Volunteer Hours Opens up Opportunities to Recieve Grant Funding. As a nonprofit organization looking to gain funding, having a system that tracks volunteers activities is a great way to measure how well you are doing. While it is unlikely that volunteer hours alone will award your organization a grant, it is likely to significantly help the organization stand out in the grant selection process. Most grant organizations consider the time volunteers spend volunteering as a valuable remuneration for their efforts. It pays well to collect volunteer time data, since every single funding opportunity that your organization receives will enable it to provide valuable support. Ultimately, Being able to track volunteers for grants will help you get the funds you need. 
  •  It Gives You the Opportunity To Recognize Volunteers When They Give Their Time. If you know how many hours volunteers spend doing what they do, you can evaluate how well you are doing in terms of giving them a meaningful experience. If data is collected and tracked accurately, you can reward volunteers for the time and effort that they put in for the cause. Some nonprofits track the time that volunteers spend with the organization, and this information helps you choose the best way to reward them for their time. Maybe it is time for your organization to offer an appreciation program for volunteers.  
  • Tracking Your Volunteer Hours May Be a Recruiting Tool For Facilitating Job Opportunities, Donors and More Volunteers. If your nonprofit is in the place of hiring for a new position or backfilling a vacancy, it is useful to maintain a database of people who are willing to work for the organization. High-capacity volunteers are prime candidates for these positions. When someone volunteers for an organization, the volunteer hours that he or she spends with the organization should be recorded to help them remember exactly what time and effort he has given to help others. It can help to know if volunteers are trusted, if the volunteers are efficient, and if volunteers are able to accomplish tasks that were difficult to accomplish. Some funders want to find nonprofits that take the time to continually do things that will benefit them, and they favor organizations that hire volunteers. You know what volunteers do, and since some of them are very experienced, you are able to teach them a lot about working for you. Also, increase their loyalty by teaching them how to use the tools you provide.  

Always remember that some of the volunteers you hire are likely to become donors. It can help to have an awesome experience that volunteers will remember, which will allow people to say a lot of nice things to others and help to build their trust in the organization. It can also help increase the number of volunteers who volunteer for other organizations. 

MyVolunteers is a great tool to begin tracking volunteer hours. To find out more information about MyVolunteers, visit mycommunity.info 

* * * * *

Source:

https://www.givesmart.com/blog/everything-you-need-to-know-about-in-kind-donations/